Today's Tuesday, the first day of the Martial arts tournament. Numerous amounts of competitors from across the continent have come to participate in this great tournament with crowds larger than it was yesterday-even more celebrities and big names in government were here.
The venue for the tournament would be neither the Flounders stadium nor the Meadow lands; instead the venue would be in Downtown Inkopolis in the heart of Inkopolis in the famous Mason Ground Theatre, the most iconic venue in Inkopolis and home of all entertainment. Azule and Tangie are both alone together, discussing the matches that they were competing in; they were backstage where most of the competitors were, watching as some of the matches were being completed.
"It's amazing that so many people entered this event…How many people signed up?" Azule said as he marveled at the crowded hallway, with many people getting caught in the traffic.
"I think the number of competitors competing were 256. After today, that number will reduce to 32. On Thursday, the final will take place." Tangie responded; Azule look like he had his mind blown. Both of them were wearing specially designed splatfest shirts, ones that hugged their torso so that their body movement would be slowed down by openings from the shirt. Azule had on his Orange team Trick tee while Tangie sported her Purple team Treat tee; it was awkward for them, they weren't alone often since they always had Cobalt.
"How's Cobalt? I went back early, but I heard he came out later on…" Azule asked, wanting to end to the awkward silence between them.
"Oh he's fine. He's going to come watch our matches today along with the others-they're pretty far from the ring though…"
Azule's name is called to the ring, his match must be next. Should both of them advance through all the matches today, they'll be into the round of 32 where it all should heat up. Azule hands Tangie his signature cap as he darts for the ring, Tangie looks long and hard at the cap, wondering why the initials of LARS were present.
As Azule exits the tunnel, the loud indoor crowd grew even larger as people filled their seats upon hearing Azule's name; Azule became infamous across the nation for his comments on the first day of school, then his name grew in popularity after he was shot, and now there were rumors of him being related to the Iconic Agent 3 and 4 along with Lime and Verde Royale of the Royale family-even Sky's name was being thrown into the mix. Azule enters the light filled arena to the thousands of cheers, seeing many people holding up signs with his name involved-positive and negative.
Over in the stands, everyone from yesterday was there-including Bianca and Machi. Sky was decked out in complete Azule gear, wearing a shirt that had his face on it, shades on her head with the same face, and even wristbands with his name on it; she was chanting his name loudly, bringing all the attention, and embarrassing him as everyone clearly pointed out that they were siblings. Azule doesn't cover his face, mainly because he couldn't-since he'd given his hat to Tangie to hold.
"What are the rules for the match?" Cobalt asked, arriving just on time to see Azule in action.
"The rules are simple, competitors for today are to either knockout their opponent or to send them out the ring for out of bounds…starting tomorrow, weapons excluding swords, daggers and any other type of blade will be allowed." Responded Reice, cleaning his glasses as Cobalt sat next to him in the aisle seat; he greets the others who are all further down in the row.
Azule's opponent entered, he seemed like an average, unsuspecting Inkling; His friends yawn, expecting the easy result for Azule. The bell rings, signaling for the match get underway! The boy rushes in at Azule, throwing a left hook; Azule dodges with ease. The boy throws a right hook; Azule blocks it with his left forearm and catches both of his hands. Azule knees him in the stomach, lifting him up as he himself squats down, and throws him over-and-out the ring as he ascended.
Everyone marvels at Azule's quick match, many confirming that he must surely be related to the legendary Royale family with that kind of talent. His friends cheer as Sky's dancing over the ledge, talking trash to the loser who'd just been defeated in such an effortless manner. Tangie sat backstage, not very surprised at his easy victory, she relaxes her nerves knowing that she'll be next to go on. Azule re-entered backstage, taking back his hat from Tangie and giving her a fist bump, "You got this!" he said, giving her a nod of the head; she returns the look, her face full of confidence as she makes her way to the ring.
Cobalt yelled her name out like a fan girl as she appears out the tunnel; the others shudder as they stare at him, uneasy by his sudden burst of happiness, when he's usually serious. Tangie avoids eye contact with contact with Cobalt as he sings her name, embarrassed by his actions in a similar way that Azule was by his sister; Sally reaches over Reice and grabs Cobalt by the ear.
"Hey now, you're making her more nervous than she already is by embarrassing her." Sally said, yanking him over. "So let's save the cheering until after the match has begun."
"Seems like Sally's enforcing her title as the disciplinary member of the team…" Violet said as she turned to Fuchsia, Parker and Pastelle. "That reminds me…exactly why didn't you join the tournament, Pastelle?"
"I just don't feel the need to participate this year; I want all my focus to be on the upcoming Rank Wars in February…"
"Oh…well, is there anyone in the field worth our attention?"
"Hmm…"-thinking for a second-"there was this one dude who was ridiculously strong. He was ruthless in his attacks and bullied on anyone who stood in his way, I remember when I faced him last year in the Semi Finals…I'd witness his disturbing victories in the previous rounds, but I felt like I could take advantage of my speed and catch him off guard, but unfortunately that didn't work."
"What happened…? Did you lose?" Fuchsia asked, also interested in the result.
"Of course he won, and to my luck, he didn't try to injure me or anything…he simply knocked me out the ring and that was simply it…I guess he didn't want to hurt me since I was a well respected first year among everyone in tournament, but for the victim in the final…he crushed them."
"Wow…" said the duo in unison.
"What's his name?" Parker asked, partially disinterested.
"He competed earlier, his name is Ueru Kotochi. He's a vicious combatant with a thirst for blood; the rumor is that he's gotten much worse since last year…he's even scarier now than before
The bell rings, Tangie wastes no time in her offensive strike against her opponent, who was another average boy who seemed to simply join for fun. Tangie raises her right leg as he lands some punishing kicks to her opponent. Tangie continues the onslaught until the boy falls to the ground, allowing him time to rest himself. The audience is caught off guard, ignorant of the fact that she's the product of the former best martial arts family in the nation, the Citra family. Tangie grabs the boy by the legs, flinging him out of bounds and ending the match-in dominating fashion like Azule. The audience roars as the only female competitor in the competition advanced to the next round later in the day.
Ueru Kotochi watches the match, his face puffs steam as he savagely destroys the TV monitor-frightening his fellow competitors as he slammed the monitor to the floor, grunting as he slammed the monitor repeatedly with anger from the outcome of Tangie's match; screws and pieces of the screen fly everywhere with the unpleasant sound of the monitor crashing into the hard tile floor. "Tangie…" he growled as he looked at the tournament table, seeing that if things kept up, he'd be facing her eventually.
The rest of the day served to be very anticlimactic with Azule and Tangie blazing through the competition and advancing to the next day where they'd be in the round of 32. After the matches, Azule and Tangie joined their friends to enjoy the festival in the big city, going around and shopping at all the fancy department stores and stopping at Central Park, the biggest and most active park in the nation.
As they walk the massive park in their huge group, Azule notices the large amount of Inklings around his age, with many of them glaring at him-as if targeting him specifically. Tangie too, had the same treatment as many of those who glared at Azule also glared at her; both of them halt, taking a look at one another as they converse in their mind on why everyone had such intimidating looks. Sally wraps them both around her arms, putting them at ease as she helps them rejoin with their group; The Inklings that stared them down were none other than the same Inklings that were present at the meeting with Lime and Verde.
The next day would be even easier for the duo as they steamrolled past their opposition and into the semi finals. They were on the opposite side of the bracket, meaning that for their fateful match to take place, it'd have to be in the finals. Unfortunately for Tangie, she'd be facing Ueru Kotochi in her semi final match. She sat in the main tunnel awaiting Azule, who had just won his match and made it to the final.
"Good luck Tangie, I know you'll make it!" Azule said, giving her a double-fist bump.
"Mmm-hmm"-nodding her head-"I'll make sure to return the favor you did for me, master."
"Hey now, I thought we were closer than that! No need to address me as such, and all I did was teach you the basics…you mastered your own fighting style." Azule said, putting his hands out; Tangie chuckles as she continues on her way, It's deeper than that Azule, you taught me at a time where not even my parents could do the job…I'm forever in you-and Cobalt's debts. That's why…that's why I'll grab this victory and defeat you in the final!
Excitement blooms as Tangie makes her entrance to a crowd of cheers, something very common with the members of Squidcom for the fall splatfest this year. Tangie steps on the marble steps, ascending higher with each step as the only thing there is the open ring-awaiting her. She prepares herself for the dangerous foe that she'd be facing in just a few moments; Azule is sitting with Cobalt and the others, rooting her on as Ueru is introduced. Pastelle is uneasy by the entrance of Ueru, he's way more vicious than she remembered-"He's…He's even scarier-looking than before!" Pastelle shivered, remembering the harsh results that he dished out the past two days. Indeed he was a frightening opponent, but Tangie knew that he was only an obstacle that stood in her way.
The tall and built Inkling with a Maroon hue enters the ring, a dark and sinister aura surrounds him as he makes a savage expression towards her; Licking his lips as he got closer to her-as if to devour her like a meal. He notices that she's representing team Treat, while he himself represents team Trick.
"So you're the daughter of the legendary Citra's?" he asked, with a foul stench emerging from his mouth-quite visibly; Tangie steps back, disgusted by the malodorous odor.
"You…you're all that's left of that disgraceful family? Because of you…because of you Citras, I have no one left! Your failure to protect your platoon cost me my family! I had to be left behind with no one to rely on because of you!"
Tangie tenses up, "I wasn't on the battlefield, I'm sorry if you lost your family in the war, but that's not my issue…"
"It is your issue! You represent them now!" he yelled, "I'm going to grind you to calamari!" he yelled, getting a little spit on her face as he closed in; Cobalt begins to get uncomfortable as the oaf continued his barking at her, swearing foul language and degrading her family name as boos from the crowd became apparent.
The referee gets between them, telling them both to get back as the bell rang; Ueru pulled out a two weapons: A huge leather belt and a whip-wrapping the belt around his left forearm and slapping the whip on his right leg, making a loud whipping noise as it broke away at his skin and left a red mark on his calves, approaching Tangie very slowly. Tangie keeps her distance, watching for the first move that he'd pull after seeing how inhumane he was in his previous match, where he'd actually beat an Inkling to a pulp-rendering the victim unconscious from blood loss.
Ueru whips his belt in Tangie's direction, forcing her to instantly jump back as the belt make a louder noise from the force of his control. Ueru has a heavy-looking body shape upon closer look, with well toned legs and arms and the brute personality; he would be scary to see going all out. As Tangie notices all of this, he suddenly speeds up, charging at her like a freight train. Tangie's legs freeze with fear as he gets closer and closer, extending his arm-wide, as if to perform a clothesline. Tangie snaps out of it, dodging just in time to avoid the hit, sliding on the marble as her boots screech, producing a dust cloud from under her feet as she uses her hand to slow down the movement; Ueru applauds her as he sticks his tongue out with wide eyes.
"I'm glad you dodged that…it'd be a shame if you took that attack." He said with a glint in his eye, "I'll make sure you never walk again!" he yelled, looking to the side and meeting the eyes of her comrades-specifically Azule and Cobalt, who both had a different expression on their faces.
Azule's calm and collected as he puts his trust in Tangie, trusting that she'll be able to overcome a voracious opponent like Ueru; Cobalt's close to losing his cool, he already had two friends in the infirmary, he didn't want anyone else to go there-especially Tangie.
"If he hurts her...!" growled Cobalt, grasping his bag tightly, ready to to take out his sword on mark.
"Calm down Cobalt, trust her…"-placing his hand on Cobalt's shoulder-"Tangie's got a fighter's heart, put your trust in her…you know her better than anyone."
Cobalt relaxes, sitting back down and keeping his glare on Ueru, This guy is complete bad news…I don't like the situation right now he thought, shaking his legs rapidly with anxiousness, hoping to see Tangie get the match over with and win. A cold sweat drips down Tangie's cheeks as she makes eye contact with Ueru, she was spooked; she could his intent so clearly, he had some serious bloodlust and combine it with his connection to her, she knew that he was also out for revenge-this match was more than just a tournament match, her life was in jeopardy if she allowed him any room to pounce.
Ueru sprints towards her, aggressively whipping everywhere in her direction in the hopes of trapping her; Tangie jumps out the way of all his wild swings, but finds herself trapped on the back edge of the ring, he covered the middle range with his whip, it was only a matter of time before it got ugly if she kept herself there.
